


City of the Frozen South

by Digigal_transbian



Series: The Gems of R'lyeh [2]
Category: Cthulhu Mythos - H. P. Lovecraft, Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alien Character(s), Alien Culture, Alien Technology, Antarctica, F/F, Post-Episode: s06e20 The Future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:34:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24238870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Digigal_transbian/pseuds/Digigal_transbian
Summary: A group of gems head down to Antarctica and discover a lost city.
Relationships: Amethyst & Jasper (Steven Universe), Leggy/Padparadscha (Steven Universe), Ruby/Sapphire (Steven Universe), Spinel & White Diamond (Steven Universe)
Series: The Gems of R'lyeh [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1736077
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	City of the Frozen South

On the most southern edge of the globe, sits a continent. A continent of untouched ice. A frozen wasteland. What mysteries lie below the barren tundra, what treasures might be found?

Nephrite took notice of this uncharted land one day. There are so many things that could be buried beneath the endless ice, so much potential for riches. Humans have tried to explore the continent, but the land is so hostile to their kind that any research attempts were ultimately cut short. Conveniently, gems don't have that issue. Cold has no effect on a gem, opening up the possibilities to gemkind as a whole.

Of course, there could be nothing there but ice, but regardless of that, the continent could very much become a gem controlled land like Little Homeworld. More and more gems are slowly expressing interest in moving to Earth, but Little Homeworld is just that, little. If more gems are going to be coming to Earth, they'll need somewhere to stay.

The frozen continent of Antarctica may very well be that place. She thanks the stars that the Peridot and Pearl helped her and her crew repair their dropship, this mission would be a little more difficult without it.

Her heart is set, she'll gather a crew and scout out the frozen wasteland for its habitability potential, maybe she'll find treasure down there.

Or something else entirely.

☆◇☆

Notice of the mission spread quickly around Little Homeworld.

The first gem to take interest was Amethyst, who brought the idea to Garnet and Jasper.

Rhodonite noticed the advertisements next. She brought in Padparadscha, who brought Leggy the Ruby into the mix.

Blue Zircon noticed one day on her own and decided she needed some time away from the office.

Word spreads fast through the gem empire. News in Little Homeworld also made their rounds through every gem inhabited planet in the network.

On Homeworld, a few gems religiously keep up to date with Little Homeworld news.

"Spinel?" 

"Yeah, White?"

"Are there any updates from Little Homeworld this cycle?"

"Hmmmm…. Let me check real quick." Spinel replies, opening the gem network up to Little Homeworld's frequency, "Hmm… Seems like there's a small expedition going on soon."

"Expedition?"

"Yeah, a Nephrite is building up a crew of volunteers and going to explore Earth's south pole. You think we should go?"

"Sounds fascinating, Spinel." White remarks, "I think we should."

☆◇☆

Nephrite was expecting a small crew.

When she put the ad out, she expected maybe a couple Pearls, maybe some Quartzes, mostly any gems that could want a change of pace or a couple cheap thrills.

She did not expect to see a shrunken down White Diamond looking to join her little expedition. Granted she's still the tallest gem in the group, but the thought still stands. Judging by the looks on the other gems' faces, they weren't expecting her either.

Blue Zircon looks like she's about to poof from the sight of her.

"Are we in the right place for the upcoming expedition?" White asks, ignoring the Zircon's nervousness.

"Uh, y-yes, you are, White Diamond." Nephrite stutters out. Being in front of the White Diamond who ruled over Homeworld since time immemorial is a terrifying thing, even in the peaceful Era 3.

"Excellent, when do we depart?"

"S-soon, just to be sure we don't leave anybody that wants to join behind. It's almost time, maybe another minute of two?"

"Of course, of course." White approaches the Nephrite and whispers to her, "I can tell you're nervous. You have no reason to be, you're doing fine, dear."

Nephrite visibly relaxes at White Diamond's words. She takes a look at her crew of volunteers. Garnet is chatting peacefully with Rhodonite, Amethyst and Jasper are talking to Padparadscha and a Ruby that introduced herself as Leggy, while Blue Zircon looks uncomfortable at Spinel's boundless energy.

"If everyone is here, we can go ahead and board so we can take off."

And just like that, the volunteer crew boards the dropship, unaware of what the future holds for them.

☆◇☆

"So, White Diamond?"

"Yes, Amethyst?"

"What brings you on this little adventure?"

"Oh, that's simple. Yellow has been off exploring with other gems and Blue has been learning various art forms, I figured that I should try spending more time around other gems. When Spinel mentioned that there was a small expedition planned, it was the perfect opportunity."

"Neat."

"What about yourself? What brought you on this little adventure?"

"I dunno, just kinda saw the ad and showed up. Brought Garnet and Jas because I thought it'd be fun."

"How about you, Zircon?" White Diamond asks passively.

"Taking control of the situation, eh White Diamond?" Amethyst chuckles.

"Well, Diamonds are made to be natural leaders in the same way Jaspers are made to generally prefer silent support and Amethysts are made to be energetic and cliquey."

"In Era 3, no one has to be what they were made to be anymore." Amethyst's tone drops to be slightly more serious.

"Oh, I'm well aware," White replies with a wave of the hand, "But no one can truly ignore who they are. Rubies rarely travel alone, after all."

"Oh?" Garnet asks, or at least the Ruby in her does.

"Rubies are made to be passionate and work well with others, preferring company over solitude." White explains with no room for argument in her tone, "If I'm wrong, feel free to say so."

Garnet, Rhodonite, and Leggy all pause. Thinking about their pasts, they find that she's right. Being alone for them has always been uncomfortable. It was always manageable, but never was it an enjoyable experience.

"Anyways, Zircon" White brings the topic back around, "What brings you on this little adventure?"

"I-I just wanted to explore a little, I figured that I was due for some adventure at some point." Zircon stutters out, being casually addressed by a Diamond is still a nerve racking experience for her.

"Garnet brought it up to me one day," Rhodonite answers next, "So I mentioned it to Lars and the crew. Pads and I joined not long after."

"I joined because of Padparadscha." Leggy answers with a blush on her cheeks. Fifteen seconds later, Padparadscha slips her hand into Leggy's, causing the red gem's face to spark a few embers.

"Yellow's been on an adventure with a Peridot lately, galavanting around time for some reason, so when Spinel mentioned that there was an expedition soon I decided to do something similar. I haven't spent too much personal time with smaller gems and I decided to correct that."

"Smaller gems?" Nephrite asks from her cockpit.

"I'm as tall as a five-way fusion between a Ruby, a Sapphire, an Amethyst, a Pearl, and a Pink Diamond, dear. Yellow and Blue are roughly as tall as the Alexandrite fusion, was it?"

"It is." Garnet replies coolly.

"Of course." White Diamond smiles.

The group lapses into comfortable silence, light conversations being made between groups. It's a pleasant thing, White finds, to not have to be the center of everything and just let be what will be. 

She could get used to this.

"We'll be arriving soon, everyone." Nephrite calls from the cockpit.

Maybe this won't be such a bad trip after all, White Diamond thinks to herself.


End file.
